Eth 125 Appendix B

University of Phoenix Material

Appendix B

Part I

Define the following terms:

Term Definition
Stereotypes
Making unreliable generalizations about all members of a group that do not take individual differences into account
Prejudice
A negative attitude towards a whole group of people
Labeling theory A theory created by Howard Becker, which explains why certain people are viewed as deviants, and others who engage in the same behavior are not.

Part II

Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Gender
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Disability

Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3
Sexual orientation Gay adults try to promote youths to be gay Gay guys will try to hit on straight guys That gay youths are suicidal or having promiscuous sex
AGE: generation Y (1981-1999) Is comfortable with change and views job security as unimportant Is inherently social Is self-centered and narcissistic
Race White people are racist All Asians know Kung-Fu All Asians are geniuses

Part III

Answer each question in 100 to 150 words related to those stereotypes:

• What are the positive aspects of the stereotypes, if any?
In the stereotypes that I have chosen, there aren’t many positive aspects. The most positive aspect is that “All Asians are geniuses”, at least that’s basically a compliment. I found a website that listed different stereotypes of the different generations of Age. It was very interesting to see how the different generations are perceived. I noticed that were not any negative stereotypes in with the earlier generations. I chose mainly negative stereotypes, positive stereotypes do exist, such as the stereotype for Generation X (1964-1980) being independent and self-sufficient. I found these stereotypes for age from a textbook titled: Age-Based Stereotypes: Silent Killer of Collaboration and Productivity, by: Chris Blauth, Jack McDaniel, Craig Perrin, and Paul B Perrin.

• What are the negative aspects of stereotypes?
There are more negative aspects to my chosen stereotypes than positive ones. My first stereotype in the sexual orientation section is, Gay adults try to promote youth to be gay. I retrieved this stereotype from one of our weekly videos. I believe these negative stereotypes come from fear of differences between people. This type of stereotype creates a very bad reputation for that community. A stereotype comes from a faulty generalization. When people hold these negative stereotypes against other people, it makes it much more difficult to have harmonious relationships. It gets in the way of interacting with people on an equal level, and many people are used to it.

Answer each question in 150 to 250 words related to those stereotypes:

• What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? Use examples to illustrate the differences.
Someone can be stereotypical without being prejudice. Prejudice is an entirely negative attitude towards a whole group. Stereotyping could also be used in different ways. Many people use stereotypes for humorous reasons, mainly stand-up comedians for example. Fans of the comedians think they are funny and join in the humor – however, that does not mean all those people are prejudiced. Being prejudice can never mean something positive. A person can be a nondiscriminatory prejudiced personality, but they still hold a negative attitude towards a different group of people regardless if they discriminate against them or not.

• What is the relationship between stereotyping and prejudice?
A prejudice mind helps to create stereotypes. If someone is prejudiced, then they will most likely be very stereotypical, and believe the irrational generalizations. For example, if Puerto Ricans live in poverty more than Whites, then a prejudice mind would assume that Puerto Ricans are lazy – which then becomes a stereotype. Another relationship between stereotyping and prejudice is that they are learned. Media and peers are a huge influence in what stereotype one may think of someone. Believing in stereotypes may lead someone to become prejudice. Also, any person can be stereotypical or prejudiced, both dominate and subordinate groups.

• What can be done to prevent prejudice from occurring?
On an individual level a person can overcome a prejudiced mind by eliminating certain causes such as : the desire to exploit, the fear of being threatened, and the need to blame others for one’s own failure. In order to help an entire society overcome prejudiced attitudes, governments can lean to education, mass media, intergroup contact, and workplace training programs. Mass media could truly have a massive effect on a society in a positive way. Television, radio, motion pictures, newspapers, magazines, and the internet could easily help to prevent prejudice by promoting the right kind of attitude and using more diverse people on screen with acceptance. It’s out of control that today 40 percent of all youths in America are children of color yet mass media does not reflect that.

Reference:
Racial and Ethnic Groups, Thirteenth edition, by Richard T. Schaefer. Published by Merrill Prentice Hall. Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc